Client
Optus Digital Thumbprint program
National | 2024
Key Services
Theory of change | Outcomes framework | Evaluation
Optus engaged Think Impact to independently evaluate their Digital Thumbprint program to gain a deeper understanding of the behaviour change that occurs for students engaged in the program.
Results were documented in a comprehensive report, with evaluation findings drawn from the experiences of 2,303 students in Years 3 to 12 across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
As part of the evaluation design, we worked with Optus to revise the Digital Thumbprint program theory of change and devise an impact narrative. We then developed an outcomes framework and made recommendations to refine existing data collection tools. Research also enabled a better understanding of the trusted sources young people rely on to learn about digital safety and wellbeing. Stakeholder engagement was a key aspect of informing the evaluation and included focus groups with students and engagement with teachers and parents.
Since being launched in 2013, the Optus Digital Thumbprint program has delivered digital citizenship education to 620,468 primary and secondary school students through 1,108 schools across Australia. It is one of the longest running digital safety and wellbeing education programs in Australia.
Endorsed by the e-Safety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider since 2016, the program provides free workshops and digital resources that support primary and secondary school students to develop knowledge, tools and skills to better navigate the complicated digital world in a safe, positive and authentic way. The program offers a blended delivery model of in-person professionally facilitated classroom workshops and online teacher-led digital interactive workshops.
The Digital Thumbprint program covers five key topics:
The theory of change developed depicts a clear foundation for understanding the cause-and-effect story of how young people experience change as they engage with the Digital Thumbprint program.
A detailed impact narrative was developed to sit alongside the theory of change to support telling a richer story of the program’s impact. It provides a summary of the operating context and outlines how the program responds through the variety of delivery modes.
Building on the theory of change, a detailed outcomes framework was developed, defining key domains and sub-domains where young people experience change because of the Digital Thumbprint program. The outcomes framework identifies six key outcomes it is hoped students will experience by taking part in the workshops:
Specific measures were developed and integrated into the existing student post-workshop surveys and digital workshop quizzes. These measures make it possible to monitor the extent to which each outcome is occurring for students who participate in each of the facilitator-led and digital interactive workshops.
‘[The most important thing I learnt in the Digital Discernment workshop is] how to spot click bait, fake news and places I can go to if I need help online/offline, and how to report a post.’
– Year 9 student, New South Wales
Students from four Victorian secondary schools were engaged through classroom workshops and facilitated focus group discussions to building a deeper understanding of the trusted sources young people rely on to learn about digital safety and wellbeing.
Below is a visual representation of the digital safety ecosystem shaped by the collective ideas collated from student focus group discussions and drawings from workshops. The diagram identifies 11 primary sources young people go for trusted advice or help with digital safety information, with school, parents and the police identified as key sources. The Optus Digital Thumbprint program was identified as one of the primary sources of information that students trust to learn about digital safety within school settings.
A detailed evaluation report for external audiences was designed by our team to align with the Optus visual identity. The reports present the impact evaluation findings drawn from 2,303 students in Years 3 to 12 across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland who took part in Digital Thumbprint program between December 2023 and April 2024. It provides detailed results from evaluations of the six in-person facilitator-led and 10 online digital interactive workshops, as well as qualitative insights from teachers and students.
‘[The most valuable elements of Optus Digital Thumbprint for students are] an awareness/renewed awareness of the need to be thinking about their safety and behaviours online. The need to be safe and the value of having a strong password, how to keep information private and why that is so valuable, as well as discussions about pressures of being online and what’s ok/not ok and who to talk to if you’re not sure.’
– High school teacher, Victoria
‘[The most important thing I learnt today is] to limit my screen time as it can have bad effects on my health and wellbeing.’
– Year 8 student, Victoria
Optus will use the Digital Thumbprint program evaluation key findings to evolve and continue to improve the program’s content and how it is offered.
View the evaluation report on the Digital Thumbprint program website.
‘Educating young people and their families about digital safety is one of our key areas of focus and we’re proud that these results reinforce this commitment. Our overarching goal is that this program continues to support and enable young people to achieve, thrive and belong in today’s digital world.
– Helen Maisano, Senior Director, Group Sustainability, Optus
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